Mine-curtain.



No. 769,215. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. R. J. GOOD & G. E. HALL.

MINE CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1904.

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No. 769,215. I PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. R. J. GOOD & G. E. HALL.

I MINE CURTAIN. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1904.

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WITNESS ES No. 769,215. PATENTED SEPT. 6 1904. R. J. GOOD 61: G. E. HALL.

MINE CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1904.

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rllll No. 769,215 PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

R. J. GOOD & G. E. HALL.

MINE CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, 1904.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.

v NTO fiwwbfl i o ma/L ATTORNEY- No. 769,215. PATENTEDSEPT; 6, 1904. Y R. J. GOOD & G, B. HALL. I

MINE CURTAIN. Arruquxon TIL-ED arm 28, 1904.

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ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES Patented September 6, 1904.

P TENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J GOOD AND GEORGE E. HALL, OF CANTON, OHIO.

' MINE-CURTAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,215, dated September 6, 1904.

Application filed June 28, 1904.

To all whom it mar concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT J. G001) and GEORGE E. HALL, citizens of the United States,

' and curtains have usually been operated by.

residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine-Curtains, of which the following is a specification.-

In the ventilation of mines it is usually necessary topartition the entries at various places for controlling and properly directing the aircurrents. this may be done bybuilding a wooden partition with an ordinary door swinging .on hinges; but in passage-ways which are much used, and particularly those along which minecars are hauled, such a door is very cumber some to operate and is also quite dangerous when not opened promptly and surely on the approach of a car. To meet some of the ob je'ctions and dangers of a hinged door, a curtain made of textile material has been used across the entry either by hanging on a roller, by the rotation of which it is raised and lowered, or by suspending it in a frame and lift ing it from below by various kinds of mechanism; but there is such a stiffness required in a partition of this character to withstand the current and pressiire of the air on account of which it is used that transverse strips or bars of wood or metal must be applied to a laterally straight textile curtain, and such bars make the curtains heavy and cumbersome and diflicult to operate without considerable power and almost if not quite as dangerous as a sohd door. Furthermore, such'doors means of vertically-depressible rails. or platforms on which the wheels of the cars or the mules of the mine will operate; but such mechanism is exceedingly -liable to be rendered inoperative by reason of the lodgment of mine refuse under and about it, which it is I difficult to remove, and it is otherwise objectionable because of the limited amount of movement found practicable to make with it, and, finally, because the mere weight of an approaching object is not a sufficiently positive means for actuating the mechanism to insure;

a certain operation of the door at all times, and laterally-movable operating bars or rails In entries which are little traveled.

Serial No. 214,472. (No model.)

have been used, which are adapted to be actucially so when it has been sought to locate' them inside of the rail.

This invention relates to a curtain or gate for a mine-entry hung or supported from above across the entryon a curved bracket and adapted to be opened by being moved laterally to a longitudinal position at the side of the entry and also to means for moving the curtain operated by a series of universally-jointed bars adapted to oscillate first lat erally over and then down out of the Way inside of the rail and to be thus actuated by the flange of the wheel of an approaching car.

Its objects are attained by the construction, mechanism, and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an entry, showing the curtain closed across the same with the mine-track and the adjacent parts of the operating mechanism; Fig. 2, ahorizontal sec tion of the entry, showing the same parts without the roof-timber and showing in broken lines the position of the horizontallever and bracket when the curtain is thrown open; Fig. 3, a cross-section of the entry, showing-the concave side of the curtain; Fig. i. a similar view showing the-convex side of the curtain; Fig. 5, a side elevation of a part of the track, showing the end members of the operating mechanism; Fig. 6, a plan of the same; Fig. 7, a section on line 7 7, Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a section on line 8 8, Fig. 6; Fig. 9, a detached perspective view of a fragment of track, showing one of the oscillating levers and the cooperating rock-lever; Fig. 10, a side elevationof a rail, showing the hanging brackets and an oscillating lever thereon; Figfll, a cross-section of the same, and Fig. 12 a detached perspective 'view of the companion parts of one hanging bracket slightly separated. I

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The wide plate or timber 1 is mounted across the entry at or near the roof, preferably part way in the recess 2 cut in the roof to receive it, and on the under side of the plate is suspended the horizontally rotating L- shaped lever 3 on the vertical pivot 4, passed through the hub 5, located at the angle of the lover. The hub of the horizontal lever is located about midway between the median line and one side of the entry, and the operating-arm 6 extends across the entry to a point near the opposite side, where it is pivoted to one end of the longitudinally-located connectingbar 7 The bracket-arm 8 of the horizontal lever extends along the entry normally to a point about in the median line, and on its end is supported the horizontally-rotating bracket 9 by means of the vertical pivot 10.

The general shape of the horizontal bracket 9 is that of the segment of a circle with its pivotal point preferably located at about the middle of the chord thereof, and from the pivotal point the rudder-arm 11 extends inward, diverging slightly from a radial line for a distance about equal to the height of the segment and thence at an angle diverging more obliquely toward the side of the entry. In the more oblique part of the rudder-arm is provided the slot 12, which extends from the angle to the end thereof, and this slot receives and operates on the fixed guide-post 13, which depends from the roof-plate at a point between the horizontal lever-pivot and the normal position of the bracket-pivot and near but preferably not on the median line of the entry.

The sleeve-roller 1 1 is preferably provided on the guide-post and operates in the slot of the rudder-arm.

The curtain or gate proper is attached on and hung from the peripheral edge 15 of the horizontal bracket, and when it is made of wood or sheet metal or other stiff material it hangs directly downward to or near the bottom of the entry, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1, and the interval between the inner end 16 of the bracket and the adjacent post 17, which is located at or in the side of the entry, is closed by flexible material, as canvas; but it is generally found desirable to use canvas for the entire curtain 18, as illustrated, in which event the upper edge extends from the outer end 19 of the bracket along and around the periphery to the inner end 16 thereof and thence directly across the interval to the side post 17, along which post the inner side edge of the curtain is attached. The pendent bar 20 is used in connection with the canvas curtain and is suspended by the eye connection 21 from the outer end 19 of the bracket, and the diagonal brace 22 extends from a connection near the lower end of the pendent bar to the eye connection 23 at the inner end 16 of. the bracket. The outer side edge of the curtain is attached along the pendent bar, and when the curtain is closed across the entry the lower edge 24 is taut on the diagonal line from thebase of the side post 17 along the bottom of the entry to the lower end of the pendent bar. The body of I the curtain is made full, so that it hangs first directly downward from its curved support and then curvesdownward and inward to the lower edge, as described. \Vhen the curtain is closed, the pendent bar 20 abuts against the beveled side 25 of the stop-post 26, located at the side of the track, so that while the diagonal brace holds the pendent bar from swinging laterally on its eye connection the stop-post prevents it from swinging inward and the taut lower edge of the curtain holds it from swinging outward as against the ordinary pressure of the air-current; but when an extraordinary pressure is applied on the convex side of the curtain, as by a runaway car or mule, or both, the entire curtain and its supporting-lwacket will be forced slightly sidewise, turning on the vertical pivot of the horizontal lever by the inward movement of the pendent bar against the beveled side of the stop-post, so that the pendent bar and the diagonal brace are then free to swing inward on their upper eye connections, and the car or mule can then pass under the curtain without damage or injury to the curtain or the mule or car, and if such an extraordinary pressure is applied on the concave side of the curtain the attachment of its inside edge to the side post will give way, and the pendent bar and diagonal brace are then free to swing outward to permit an object to pass under the curtain.

In cases where the lower edge of the curtain does not have asuiiicient diagonal direction to hold the pendent bar as against the air-pressure or when it is not practicable to depend on the more strength of the curtain for that purpose it is desirable to supplement the same by providing the independent guyrope 27 from a connection at the lower end of the pendent bar diagonally upward, inward, and across the entry to and over the swiveled pulley 28, suspended near the roof at the side of the entry, and thence downward to a connection with the safety-weight 2%), which normally rests on the shelf 30, attached to the side of the entry. The guy-rope is arranged to be taut when the curtain is closed, the pulley is located so the weight is not lifted by the travel of the pendent bar when the curtain is normallyopened, and the weight is heavy enough to withstand the ordinary pressure of the air-current; but when an extraordinary pressure is applied the weight is raised by the outward swing of the pendent bar, thus permitting an object to safely pass under the curtain.

The series of oscillating bars, preferably the tubes 31, 31, and 31", are located along and adjacent to one of the rails 32 for a suitable distance each way from the curtain, and the hollow ends of the tubes are telescoped over the round-headed trunnions 33 on the sides of the curved inner upper arms 3a of the vertically-oscillating.transverse levers 35, which are piv'otally mounted in the hanging brackets 36 on the under'side of therail. The lower arms 37 of the Oscillating levers extend outward between the adjacent ties 38 rock-levers are mounted in the bearings 42 on one of the adjacent ties, and the upper arms 43 of these levers are each pivotally connected} to one of the operating-rods 44 and 44, one of which rods connects all the upper arms of the rock-levers located eachrespective way. from the curtain.

The operating-lever 45 is mounted on the transverse pivot46 in the bracket 47, which is preferably attached on the ends of the ex' tended ties38,'and the upper end of this lever is pivoted to one end of the connectingbar 7, the other end of which is connected to the operating-arm of the horizontal lever 3, as above described. The connecting-rods 48 and 48 extend from pivotal connections with the adjacent ends of the operating-rods 44 and 44* to pivotal connections with the operating-lever 45, oneabove and the other below the pivot 46 thereof' The lateral arms of the rock-levers, which are connected to the respective operating-rods, are suitably arranged in opposite directions, so that the opera-ting'and connecting rods 44 and 48 are in tension for opening the curtain by a car approaching from thedirection in which they extend, and the other similar'rods 44 and 48? are in tension for opening the curtain by a car approaching from the opposite direction, which arrangement enables much lighter rods to be used than would be permissible'if theyworked under compression. The spring-arm 49 isprovided on the side of the operating lever and bears on the bell'50. which fits over the spiral spring 51 and is adapted to telescope in the cup 52, wherein the spring is compressed by that movement or rotation of the operating-lever which is adapted to open the curtain. c i

The outer end of each terminal tube 31 is teles'coped over the round-headed trunnion 33 on a bracket, as 53, attached on a tie at an interval inside of the rail, and for the purpose of obtaining greater leverage for the initial movement of the operating mechanism each terminal tube is preferably made somewhat longer than the next tube 31, the hanging brackets 36 forthe intervening oscillating lever 35 are reversed to bring the pivot-shaft 54 thereof under the inner side of the rail, and the lower outer arms '37 of these levers are made shorter than those of the remainder of; the oscillating levers 37. The normal p0 sition of all the tubes '31, excepting the two end jones 31 and 31 is preferably directly over the outer edge of the. rail, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, andithe normal position of the Wise over the rail, but'not as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

for adjusting'th'e, amount of joint 55 between the two end tubes is like quite so farout, The outer end of the terminal tube being located at an interval inside of the rail, this tube normallyjextends diagonally across the path of the flange 56 of the wheel, as 57, of the mine-car. (Not shown.)

As a car approaches the wheel-flange enters between the rail and the terminal tube, as shown in Fig. 6, and gradually forces the movable end of the tube inward until when the wheel has arrived at the first, joint 55 the outer sides of the tubes at this point have been moved a distance, inside of the rail equal to the thickness of the flange, as shown by dotted lines in Figsj6 and 7. At the same time all the oscillating and rock levers being connected by the operating-rods each of the other joints'excepting the farther end one has been moved inward by themovement of the several levers; but by reason of the relatively longer length of the lower outer. arms 37 of all the intermediate oscillating levers the iin-j j further progress of, the wheel-flange operating against the second tube 31 forces this' tube inward'until the wheel arrives at the second joint 58, when the outer sides of all the intermediate tubes havebeen moved to a distance in'side'of the rail equal tothe thickness I.

of the flange, as shown by broken lines in Figs. 6 and 8, and in the further progress of the wheel as long as its flange is between the loo .rail and any of'theintermediate tubes this position of all the tubes is maintained, and the various leversand rods are 'so arranged and proportloned that the rotation or osclllation of the tubesto this pointinside of the rail has operated the connected mechanism to open the curtain. The peculiar rolling movement of the operating-tubes by which they are carried inward and downward is of advantage,

because the rotation of the wheel-flange'1s"' likewise d'ownwardfand therefore more .di-

rectly eflicient, and, furthermore, because the V tubes arej'turned downward out of the way of i, the running-gear of the car, and .the partic-f ular tubular construction of the operating;

bars, with their endstelescoped over the round-headed trunnions, is of advantage, .not

only because of'the ease with which the mechanism can be assembled and the facility given the the relative lengths of the tubes, but because I work done. by. several end sections by merely varying of .the universal joints which are thus pro 1 vided for the several tubes, which permits each tube to move laterally and turn or ro-q' tate as much as may be necessary to accom' 'modate their peculiar rolling movement, and

in particular theirregular moveme t e-E several en'd tubes. I r T Peration of the mechanism to open th curtain is against the energy of the spiral spring 51, so that this spring acts to hold the curtain shut and to close it when the wheelflange has passed on and out from between the operating-tubes and the rail. As the curtain hangs across the entry, it is substantially balanced in the face of the pressure of the air on the pivotal support of the segmental bracket, and any tendency there may be to turn on this pivot is resisted by the engagement of the rudder-arm with the fixed guide-post, and any tendency of the bracket to move bodily sidewise is resisted by the spiral spring. It will be noted, however, that as the resistance of the spring is not required to be exerted against the air-pressure, but merely against a direct lateral movement of the curtain, it is not necessary that it should be very strong, so that the curtain can be quite easily opened for the passage of a man by being pushed sidewise, after which the action of the spring will close it. When the segmental bracket is moved sidewise by the rotation of the horizontal lever on its pivot, the operation of the fixed guide-post in the slot of the rudder-arm throws the bracket, with the depending curtain, around to the longitudinal position at the side of the entry shown by broken lines in Fig. 2, and in this movement the part of the curtain between the inner end of the bracket and the side post is flexed laterally to accommodate itself to the movement of the bracket, and the guy-rope serves the additional service of passing around and holding back the loose folds of the curtain, as shown at 59 in the same figure.

The hanging brackets 86 are each preferably made of the two companion parts 60 and 61, the shaft 54, and the clamping-bolt 62. The notches 63 and 6 L in the upper ends of the companion parts are adaptedto engage the sides of the base of the rail, and the slots 65 are adapted to receive the clamping-bolt, and the apertures 66 in thelower ends are adapted to receive the shaft. Two sets of the companion parts are used for each bracket, and the oscillating lever is journaled on the shaft between the two, and when the bracket is in place and clamped by the bolts the two parts of each set pinch the shaft between them, so as to hold it firmly without any further fastening.

It will be noted that by locating the several hanging brackets and oscillating levers quite close together and using comparatively short sections of tubes the devices can be applied as well to a curved track as to astraight one, and a further advantage of a series of tubes adapted to .oscillate from over the rail to a position on the inside thereof is in the fact that these operating-bars are actuated by the inner or flange side of the wheels, which is practically of the same width for all types of wheels, while different wheels varyconsiderable in width of face, which makes it inconvenient 1 on the under side, the inner upper and sometimes impracticable to actuate an op erating-bar by contact with theouter side of the wheel.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mine-entry, a horizontal lever vertically pivoted near the roof and having an arm extending along the entry, a segmentshaped horizontal bracket vertically pivoted on the lever-arm and having a rudder-arm with a slot therein, a fixed post depending from the roof and adapted to operate in the slot. and a curtain hung from the periphery of the bracket.

2. A support for a curtain comprising a horizontallyrotatable lever, a segment-shaped bracket pivoted on the 'lever and having a rudder-arm with a slottherein, and a relatively fixed post adapted to operate in the slot.

3. In a mine-entry, a segment-shaped laterally movable and horizontally rotatable bracket near the roof, an adjacent post at the side of the entry, and a curtain hung from the peripheral edge of the bracket having a flexible extension attached by its side edge to the post.

t. In a mine-entry, a segment-shaped laterally movable and horizontallyrotatable bracket near the roof, a beveled post at the side of the entry, a pendulous bar having a lateral brace on one end of the bracket and adapted to abut against the post, and a fiexible curtain hung on the periphery of the bracket and having one side edge attached to the pendent bar and the other side edge attached at an interval inward from the other end of the bracket to the other side of the entry, with the lower edge normally extending taut diagonally across the bottom of the entry between the side edges.

5. In a mine-entry, a bracket near the roof having a pendulous bar with a lateral brace on one end thereof, a flexible curtain hungon the bracket and having one side edge attached to the pendent bar, a swiveled pulley near the roof diagonally across the entry, a weight at rest below the pulley, and a guy-rope normally taut connecting the bar with the weight and passed over the pulley.

6. In a mine-entry. a S1)ll1];Z-O1)D()S0tl eurtain-moving mechanism, a track-rail having a series of vertical]y-oscillating levers pivoted on the under side, brackets fixed inside of the rail adjacent to the end levers, there being round-headed trunnions on the sides of the inner upper curved arms of the levers and the inner sides of the brackets, a series of operating-bars having hollow ends telescoped on the trunnions and operating connections between the lower outer'arms of the levers and the curtain-moving mechanism.

7. In a mine-entry, a spring-opposed eurtain-moving mechanism, a track-rail having a series of vertically-oscillating levers pivoted curved arms of the levers having round-headed trun-' nions on their sides and the lower outer arms having slots therein, operatlng-bars between the'levers having hollow ends telescoped on the trunnions, rock-levers having their lateral arms entered in the slots, and operative con- I nections between the upper arms of the rocklevers and the curtain-moving mechanism;

8. In a mine-entry curtain-moving mechanism, a track-rail, a vertically-oscillating transverse lever pivoted onthe underside thereof, the inner arm of the lever being curved upward and outward over the rail, and operating-bars connected by universal pivots to the sides of the curved lever-arm.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT J. e001). GEORGE E. HALL.

Witnesses:

' MINNIE F. ANTHONY;

HARRY FREAsE; 

